NAVI MUMBAI: South African star Nadine de Klerk's stunning all-round show powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a sensational three-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the Women's Premier League (WPL) here on Friday.
The 25-year-old all-rounder snapped four wickets for 26 runs, helping RCB restrict MI to 154 for 6 after opting to field, and then snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, hitting unbeaten 63 off 44 balls (7 fours and 2 sixes) in a dramatic run chase.
Chasing 155 for a win, RCB were 137 for 7, needing 18 runs from the final over.
De Klerk hit a six and a four from the third and fourth deliveries, needing eight runs from the last two balls.
She struck a six off the penultimate delivery and then despatched the last ball from Nat Sciver-Brunt for a four to complete a dramatic win.
RCB reached 157 for 7 in 20 overs with Prema Rawat also remaining not out on 8.
For MI, Nicola Carey and Amelia Kerr grabbed two wickets apiece while Nat Sciver-Brunt, Shabnim Ismail and Amanjot Kaur picked up one each.
RCB suffered a batting collapse after strong show from openers Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris in a match that saw fortunes fluctuate.
RCB were 47 for 2 at the end of the fifth over but collapsed to 65 for 5 in the eighth over, losing three quick wickets in 2.4 overs.
Harris (25 off 12 balls) and Smriti Mandhana (18 off 13 balls) hit a four each off Sciver-Brunt in the first over, and then repeated the same against Shabnim Ismail as RCB raced to 20 for no loss at the end of the second over.
But the third over was even more damaging for MI as the RCB opening pair helped themselves with 20 runs off a hapless Nicola Carey.
Harris hit a six and a four while Mandhana struck two boundaries.
Mandhana looked to be in good touch but suddenly got out in the fourth over. Shabnim Ismail denied her any run in the first four balls of the fourth over and the Mandhana went for a shot in the fifth only to hand a catch to the mid on fielder.
Next over Harris was also out in a rather soft dismissal off the bowling of Sciver-Brunt. Harris checked her shot off a slower delivery and ended up offering a fairly regulation catch at long on.
RCB lost two big wickets in quick succession.
After that, Dayalan Hemalatha (7), Richa Ghosh (6) and Radha Yadav (1) got out in a hurry to leave RCB in trouble.
RCB were 75 for 5 at the halfway mark, needing 80 runs from 60 balls.
De Klerk kept the RCB fight going but wickets falling around her with Arundhati Reddy (20) the only one to give her company for a longer time.
Earlier, Sajeevan Sajana enhanced her batting reputation as she struck a 25-ball 45 to take defending champions Mumbai Indians to 154 for 6.
The 31-year-old Sajana smashed seven fours and one six to raise 82 runs for the fifth wicket along with Nicola Carey (40) to revive the MI innings.
This came after MI were reduced to 67 for 4 in the 11th over after being asked to bat first, with RCB chipping away at the wickets at regular intervals.
Gunalan Kamalini made 32 (off 28 balls) at the top of the order, while MI and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored 20.
For RCB, Nadine de Klerk was the pick of the bowlers with excellent figures of 4 for 26 while Lauren Bell and Shreyanka Patil got a wicket apiece.
The WPL 2026 began with a maiden over from Lauren Bell with MI opener Amelia Kerr failing to score a single run from the first over.
But Kamalini compensated for the runless first over as she took 10 runs from Linsey Smith in the second over, hitting two fours.
Kerr continued to struggle, opening her account in the 11th ball she faced.
Her laboured innings ended in the fifth over with Bell deservingly getting her wicket.
MI's next batter Nat Sciver-Brunt (4) did not last long, as she was dismissed by Nadine de Klerk as the defending champions were reduced to 35 for 2 in the seventh over.
Kamalini got out in the final ball of the 10th over as she dragged a Shreyanka Patil delivery on to the stumps as MI were reduced to 63 for 3 at the halfway stage.
Next over, de Klerk got her second wicket, that also the prized scalp of Harmanpreet (20 off 17 balls).
Mumbai were in trouble at 67 for 4 at that stage.
